BLT with Avocado on an English Muffin

It's tomato season and today I picked some beauties at my local community garden so that means BLT's are on the menu.  I like to use toasted English muffins instead of bread because the tomato slice fits perfectly.  I add a layer of mayo on one slice and a layer mashed avocado with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper one the other.  Add the crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato and you have my version of a perfect BLT.
                                                                                          

Pan-Seared Strip Steak or Ribeye

I have told so many people about this recipe because it's my new favorite way to make a strip or ribeye steak.  This genius recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen.  This method blew my mind!  No more guessing if I undercooked or overcooked the steak, with this method the steaks cook to a perfect medium rare.  This method is different because you start the steak in a cold nonstick skillet with no oil.  You do need a thick (1 1/2 inch) well marbled steak so that the fat helps to achieve a good sear on the outside without overcooking the interior.  Also you'll need a meat thermometer.  See instructions below but you simply flip every two minutes until temperature reads 125 degrees, then let rest 5 minutes and slice.  Tender, juicy and delicious!

1.  Sprinkle each steak (well marbled boneless strip or ribeye steak 1 1/2 inch thick) with kosher salt and put in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before cooking.

2. When ready to cook remove from fridge and pat them dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. You don't need any extra salt.

3.  Place steaks 1 inch apart in cold nonstick skillet.  Place skillet over high heat and cook steaks for 2 minutes.  Flip steaks and cook on second side for 2 minutes.  (at this point neither side of steaks will be browned)

4.  Flip steaks, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, flipping steaks every 2 minutes, until meat register 125 degrees for medium rare. (Tip - steaks should be sizzling gently, if not, increase heat slightly and reduce heat if skillet starts to smoke.)

5.  Transfer steaks to carving board and rest for 5 minutes (VERY IMPORTANT!*see note).  Slice steaks, season steaks with salt to taste if needed. Enjoy!!

*The reason it needs to rest is because the juices need time to redistribute.  Otherwise it will just flow away, leaving you with a dry piece of meat.

                                                                                      

Focaccia

Shocking Easy No-Knead Focaccia

I don't make a lot of bread but this is one recipe I enjoy making and feel confident knowing it will turn out every time.  This is a no knead, hands off and a shockingly easy Focaccia Bread recipe.  It does take time, 2 days but with little effort.   I'm just going to link you right to the recipe, Shocking Easy No-Knead Focaccia by Sarah Jampel at Bon Appetite.   Sarah shows you small step by step clips which are very helpful.  I've made this several times with a few changes and it always comes out great!  Thanks Sarah Jampel for a great recipe!!

Here are my tips:

1.  I always weigh my flour.  My water temp to dissolve yeast is about 110 degrees.

2.  In Step 3 clip, they show her using her hands to coat dough in bowl with oil but the dough is pretty wet so I just toss it in the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Also, after the dough has been in the fridge 8-24 hours, I let the dough sit until it gets to room temperature before I do the fork technique in Step 4.  The dough is more manageable.  You'll see the fork technique in Step 4's clip.  

3. In Step 4 I use a 9x13 pan and let it rise the full 4 hours.  My house is always on the cool side so it takes time to rise.

4.  I've never used the garlic butter at the end of the recipe.  I prefer it with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt.

5.  It's best eaten the day it's made but I always have some leftovers that I slice and freeze so I can pull out a slice or two when needed.

                                                                                                           

Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce for two

This in not the best photo BUT this salmon is so good!  Salmon is for dinner at least once a week because we love it and it's so easy.  The salmon is baked in a 425 degree oven, so it cooks fast, 15 minutes.  While it's baking you make the cream sauce.  Then top baked salmon with sauce and it's done, it's that easy!  I served the salmon with roasted asparagus that was roasting in the same 425 degree oven.   Gotta love when dinner is on the table in about 20minutes!  This recipe checks all my favorite boxes, easy✓, quick✓, delicious✓ and no leftovers✓.  When cooking for two I always have leftovers so I love when a meal is one and done.  Plus, I'm not a fan of leftover fish! 

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE SALMON

2 Salmon Fillets ( skinless)

          Freshly Grated Black Pepper and Salt - to taste

                2 Tbsp. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

        2 Tbsp. County Dijon Mustard (or any coarse ground mustard)

LEMON BUTTER GARLIC SAUCE

1 Tbsp. Butter

1/2 tsp. Garlic Cloves (about 1 clove, minced)

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

                1 tsp. Lemon Juice (or more to taste)

1 Tbsp. dill ( finely chopped)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper and salt - to taste

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 425°F with the rack in the center.

Lightly salt and pepper salmon.

                In a small bowl combine lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Mix well.

Arrange salmon fillets in a baking dish and pour the mustard mixture over salmon to coat. Bake for *12-15 minutes in the preheated oven.  

In the meantime, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

Pour in heavy cream and bring to a low boil. The sauce should thicken a little bit.

Take off the heat and stir in lemon juice, dill and season with black pepper and salt to your liking.  Keep warm.

Pour the sauce over the baked salmon.

                Serve and enjoy!

*Check Salmon after 12 minutes to check for doneness to your liking.  

**This recipe was adapted from Cafe Delites (Easy Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce) 

                                                                    

General Tso's Ground Turkey

I love Chinese take-out but I'm out of luck because we don't have a Chinese Restaurant anywhere near where we live.  I have tried so many recipes to satisfy my craving.  This recipe for General Tso's did the trick!  It's made with ground turkey instead of the usual breaded fried chicken breasts.  The original recipe called for ground chicken but I couldn't find that at my local grocery store so I used Jennie-O brand, ground turkey.  I was pleasantly surprise how much we loved this!  It was spicy, sweet and packed with flavor.  I will make this again and soon because it's delicious, ready in 30 minutes and I can tell a craving's coming on!

The original recipe comes from Sabrina Snyder, her blog  Dinner then Dessert.  I made a few changes to the original.  One being I doubled the sauce, we like it saucy!  I also want to try some of her other Chinese inspired recipes,  Ground Kung Pao Chicken and Ground Orange Chicken.  Check her out here.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey

4 ounces canned water chestnuts , diced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic minced

General Tso's Sauce:

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

4 teaspoons hoisin sauce

1/2 cup water

6 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions:

1.  To a large non-stick pan add ground turkey.

2.  Cook, breaking apart until no longer pink.

3,  Add diced water chestnuts, then finish cooking  for an additional 2-3 minutes.

4.  Add the ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for about 10 seconds.  While meat is cooking make sauce.

For the General Tso's Sauce: 

1.  In a small bowl add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar and cornstarch and whisk together.

2.  Once the meat mixture is cooked add the General Tso's sauce to the pan and bring to boil. Cook for just a few seconds, stirring until it thickens.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy!

 

12 week Exercise Program with Heather Robertson

Heather Robertson

If you are looking for a new exercise program this new year, I would highly recommend Heather Robinson.  She is an amazing trainer and it's completely free on YouTube.  She has so many workouts and programs to follow you will never run out.  We did her first 12 week 1.0 program and loved it so much we've started her new 12 week 2.0 program.  What I love is the program is 5 days on and 2 days off.  Those 5 days she works every inch of your body so you need 2 days for recovery.  We've just started the program but we're ready for this challenge. 

 Happy New Year!